I am very happy because of Roger's return but why doesn't Robert want to have a 5 piece band as ever?Of course I prefer The keyboard but I think that Perry should return too.I miss the bloodflowers era and the perfect sound both swing tour and dream tour.anyway welcome back Roger all of us missed you so much..

Excellent video of A Forest up on Youtube in the last half hour. Type "The Cure Bestival 2011". Watched the hightlight show on sky arts last night also. They sound really really tight and Roberts voice is back to prime again. Welcome back Roger. The best news ever & @ Craig-You can never be thanked enough for all that you do. Big time cheers and thanks to you.

I liked how they adjusted the performance of BDC to the slower beat, first time I don't find it too strange. The 2nd guitar melody done in the keyboards gives it sort of a Lovesong feel. One guitar only gives room to much better and clean sounds than just these noises that Porl was doing lately. Robert is a fantastic player - when he plays, which he wasn't doing much lately - and some of their best albums were done in this format. Porl is a great guitarist (or else he wouldn't have played with Jimmy Page, FFS!) but lately all he was doing were random noises, IMHO. Of course some songs will miss the 2nd guitar, but that's far less worse than say Plainsong without keyboards...

porl was doing a lot more than random noises for me on the paris 2008 video. they were on fire that night! but at other shows he did improvise a bit too much. so I know what you mean.happy roger is back, but hope they will have a 2nd guitarist as well

Friday sounds horrible without the second guitar! They should get a second guitarist... no matter if Porl, Perry or someone else. The stripped down sound worked well for rocking guitar Cure but it doesn't really work for keyboard Cure. Sounds just to flat. :/

I've seen all the available videos and to be honest, I'm not missing the other guitar at all... so far! I think this time they planned the arrangements this way, and not like "ok let's just skip that other part, leave a blank space and see how it goes" like it was done with the missing keyboards. They haven't sounded that good in a while. The only drawback I think (not his fault this time) is the "poc-poc-poc" snare sound.

FFS!!! Could someone in the know tell us what happened to cause Porl leaving the band. Yes he improvised far too much in recent years but he is still an amazing guitarist. I for one miss him. Was there a falling out between him and Robert. Remember they are (or were) brothers in law after all! Also welcome back Roger, you are the man!

OK once again I'll be repetitive and annoying. Saw a bunch of other videos... and there's nothing wrong with the missing guitar, mostly in FIIL. Everything sounds clear as ever (or as since a long time). Like the arrangements or not, this is the new Cure, these slowed down versions have been played for quite a while. The only slowed down version that really annoys me is Play for Today, the rest are fine. Quoting another song: "it's never enough" for some fans, if you know what I mean. I think I've seen this same thing happen with the new Pumpkins stuff... they have a fantastic new drummer, but some want Jimmy back at all costs.

update: i love the keys on the only one. i really enjoy this version of the song.

also -- i want to point out that no matter what i say on here about anything, had i been at the show i would have been blown away. the cure live is amazing. any comments i make are in comparison to other live cure performances. in general, i find the cure to be a very impressive live band, especially given how long they've been around.

For me, second guitar is needed as much as keyboards. Plaisong without keyboards is boring, like Boys Don't Cry without second guitar. But this is only my advice. ;)

They already played those slowed down versions, ok, and so what ? I was thinking the same at this time, rock songs need nervous playing.

Btw, saying that Porl did nothing else than random noises is stupid. Songs from TIB never sound as good when he was in the band. Still my advice, though.

The sentence "It's never enough" could apply to fans that criticize 2005-2009 era too, so I don't really see what you meant.

But you are right, this is the "new cure", and it has nothing to do with the previous one. I don't want to be polemical, and debate about personal tastes makes no sense.I hope you will enjoy this new era like I enjoyed the last one. Maybe I will too ...

I was pretty impressed with that set-up, I thought The Only One with the lead guitar done on keyboards was fantastic, better than with Porl live. The only thing that kind of annoyed me was the sound Roger was using for Friday I'm In Love, sounded like the stupid 'electric guitar' sounds you get on cheap keyboards! I think that guitar line could sound fantastic on keyboards but with a KEYBOARD sound!

I also thought i heard a second guitar on Push when watching the Sky Arts broadcast. I was trying to see if it was Roger playing these lines on keyboard but it did not appear to be. Can i also say that i thought Jason's drumming was superb the only complaint is that his drum kit always sounds a bit flat to me, like playing cardboard boxes.

As the band has too many "eras" to be counted, there are too many kinds of fans. This is what I meant when I mentioned the Never Enough quote. Whatever Robert does, it will never be enough to please everyone it seems, there will be always something that will make someone a little upset. There are those that love the pop and single hits, there are these that loathe them and just like the b-sides or the darker stuff. There will be the eternal debate about Jason vs. everyone else. Then Lol. Some (a lot of!) fans only discovered the band with Wish, and this is the sound they want to hear and that they think that defines Cure the most, and this is the real "Cure guitar" sound, period. Porl is a fantastic guitarist, and did a very good job in the past, but in his last venture, he wasn't adding much to the whole stuff - his fault or not. Maybe it shouldn't be his role to just replace the keyboard lines - the same way as the keyboard doesn't have to be there to just fill the guitar parts.

As for saying they will never be able to play certain songs again, this was said when the keyboards were gone but still they played a few of these keyboard driven songs succesfully - others not that much, though. To me it was the first time I felt that the band made some kind of an improvement with the new sound in a very long time. We're so used to listen to these songs the same way for 30 years (except for a few extended versions and changed lyrics) that when a different keyboard sound comes in, it's like a sacrilege. It's not, sometimes it's just evolving.

God I love The Cure. I never realize how much I miss them, until they start playing shows again. I am so glad Roger is back and we get to have keys again. When I started listening to the band at 14 I never thought I would still be able to see them play live at 42. So excited about live shows and the blu-ray of Sydney and new music next year.

Carnage Visors, I totally agree. The Hungry Ghost clip cut out before the song really started going. That was the song I was most excited to hear with Roger now instead of Porl.

Those high notes before and during the chorus are what I'm talking about. I wonder if he tried to mimic Porl's sound, or if he went for a more solina style (which is more Cure-like, I think). It could actually sound better with keys.

To people asking about The Hungry Ghost. Sorry I didn't capture the Roger parts but they were great and it sounded as though Roger had similar sounds in his synth. Robert sang it a tad differently too. It DID work, much like The Only One worked well. The whole thing worked well.

Push was also a great listen live. Sky Arts have not done any of it justice really.

Porl not being around is heart-breaking. I really blame Robert for "4:13 Dream" sucking and "The Only One" was better in its longer intro pre-released version. It's nice to have a keyboardist again, but Porl leaving is harder to take. For frak's sake!

Glad to see synth back. But sad they did not include some songs from Reflections, such as subways song, another day, doubt, i'm cold, whioch were brillant and it would change also to see the setlist change a little for a while.

I'm going to agree with the comments about they keyboards filling in for the other guitar not working on 'FIIL'. It sounded quite bad.

Oh, and since there are so many harping about wanting the band to go back to a five piece, why not go back to a six piece? Robert, Simon, Jason, Roger, Porl and Perry? Or how about a seven piece, with Robert, Simon, Boris, Andy, Roger, Porl, and Perry? Or how about...

lol Shawn...There was something written above regarding the setlist..As much as i respect everyone's subjective views, i though the set list was well chosen..Don't forget they were playing to a Festival audience not just a Cure one...I spent 12 hours at the front,and the crowd was forever changing around me(ganga smokers for Toots and the Maytals, 14 year old girls screaming for Katie B,and pogoing nutters for Crystal Castle!!etc..)So personally I was expecting a lot of Hits in there and not much Figurehead or Holy Hour!I think they tried(and managed) to please a broad audience..Caterpillar was an obvious example of that..Should we read something into the fact that Open and End were played(NME talks of them quitting playing live!)OF COURSE NOT :):):)..Whatever comes next can only be a good thing.

I'm very happy to see that Roger is back in the band, but at the same time sad that Porl is out again. I'm happy that keyboards have been reintroduced, but I think they still sound too flat and stripped down: the Cure are at their best with a 5-piece line-up, I reckon.

Was: Thank you!This is a blog dedicated to the Cure so it’s obvious to read and write about them.But I think many of us are affectionate to the Cranes too; and I think they were a little too unnoticed this time. Probably I’m wrong.As for the Cure, let the flux go, it’s a huge gift to know they are back, any line up is fine!

That's what happens when a band that was never meant to get this big, gets huge... to many fans, to many opinions, but the cure fans are the best and smartest. That's a fact. I'm so glad that Robert's playing guitar more, he is one of the most influential guitarist, indie music wouldn't be what it is with out him. I am very excited about this... guitar, bass, keys, drums. They are the world's biggest cult band.

I think it's fair to comment about Cranes here. Robert remixed Jewel for them and Cranes, Mogwai, Crystal Castles, Japanese Popstars all appearing at Bestival... too much of a coincidence for me. I think strings were pulled!

I remember a younger me getting all annoyed about Boys Don't Cry being a hit with the remix. What was wrong with people not making it a hit the first time round? They were always a huge band... other people just didn't know it at the time ;0)

I can't name my single favourite Cure gig any more... but that was definitely one of them!

I was there in the front row - Simon's side. It was great. I was against the rail for all of Friday and Saturday. The only other artist to don a bigger smile on their faces than Roger were in The Village People.

Last time I saw Roger play it was in front of 40 people in a pub in south London. On Saturday I saw him play in front of 40,000.

Simon falling over was the highlight for me. It would have been tragic had he not looked over at Roger who then mimicked tumbling over himself.

I'm not too sure having poor keyboard sounds is going to be an issue in the future. I know for a fact that Roger is using a brand new set up. As with every piece of technology there is a learning curve and it's probably too new for him to have tweaked all the sounds let alone learn parts that he has never played before. I'm pretty optimistic about how the sounds of the future will be. I think most everyone would agree to see the cure with the 89 line up would be amazing but I am not trying to live in the past and won't hold my breathe for the return of that either.

People keep talking about the ever evolving lineup of The Cure but it's not mentioned too often that a lot of this is from prior members coming back. Everyone has their favorite lineup and I loved the TIB lineup, the 17S - Pornography lineup, the lineup I saw in 1984 that only lasted I think for six shows, and I think the one where everything gelled together the best was the HOTD lineup, but I also liked all the ones since then. I like that Porl and Roger have now each had three stints and Porl could still come back. How interesting would it be if the Reflections lineup became the current official lineup? And this time with Laurence doing some percussion and some keyboards? I think that would make for a very interesting mix. Lol may not be the most talented musician ever but I think when he's around that in some mystical way the quality of the band's musical output goes up too. Or maybe it was Porl/Boris that did that. I also like how a guy that didn't even join the band until the band was at least a decade old is seen as an integral part of the band. The old thinking used to be that bands could never even make it to the ten year point. Even The Beatles couldn't do it. I like all the current and former members of The Cure and find the different lineup changes fascinating and wonder how the relationships are with Michael, Mathieu, Andy, Boris, Phil, Perry, etc. If they are going to do a four piece could the non-Robert-Simon-Jason person be a guitarist/keyboardist like Porl or Perry? Oh, wait. They already tried that but for some reason that time around everyone forgot that Porl could also play keyboards. I'm ALL for The Cure have guitar-driven periods but when it comes time to play Play for Today or Inbetween Days and a couple others you really need a keyboard rather than a guitar posing as a keyboard. More random thoughts in future comments...

Agree with most of Christian Z's comments (nothe Robert 'fitness clinic" comment though), and would like to add:

- commerce may dictate that this band remains a 4 piece from here on in. Whilst a 5 piece set up with 2 guitars & keys seems like the ultimate Cure set up, the "organisation" may only be able to afford 4 players these days. Fact - its a business as much as a band. (and with that out of the way…)

- Porl out/ Roger in. Every line up change, especially when an ex member returns, brings a sense of excitement. As people have pointed here on previous posts, some of the arrangements with Porl's guitars breathed new life into old favourites (The Walk never sounded better), whilst other songs definitely suffered (Lullaby, Prayers For Rain..). Two things - 1. I personally have no issue with the "backing tape" set up. Whatever brings the sound I say. I'd wager there are a few people that follow this blog that also have a passing interest in bands like NIN, Depeche Mode and maybe even the FLaming Lips - all bands that employ "backing tape" technology at some point or another during their respective live shows. As fans of the Cure, we've been incredibly spoilt with what a wonderful live band they have been and continue to be. But live, I'd rather have a key component of a song there than not, however it jumps out of the venues PA (hope that makes sense). Whatever works! and 2. I hope Robert gives Roger a bit of leeway to use whatever technology is at his disposal - both live and in the studio, because that could/would make things very interesting. "Hungry Ghost" from Bestival sounded pretty cool, and I am very interested to see how "Open" sounded also. Some of these guitar heavy songs can easily translate to keys, just like Porl was able to bring certain keys sounds/riffs to guitar.